The present invention relates generally to mechanized fastening equipment and more particularly to equipment that receives and positions fasteners for installation into a workpiece.
Manufacturing equipment that automatically delivers fasteners to a workpiece, or a fastening device, is typically employed in high rate production environments. The equipment generally comprises a storage device for the fasteners and a mechanism or system that transports fasteners from the storage device to the workpiece or fastening device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,554 to Jones, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, discloses a device for delivering fasteners to a workpiece comprising a suction head that removes fasteners from a storage area and delivers the fasteners through a delivery tube using a vacuum. The fasteners are individually stored in holes of a predetermined or fixed depth, and only one fastener may be stored in any given hole. Accordingly, each hole contains a fastener of a specific configuration, diameter, and grip length. Moreover, the device of Jones is incorporated in a relatively large assembly system that is permanently installed at a fixed location within a production facility.
Yet another known art fastener delivery system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,717 to Rink et al., wherein rivet cartridges are unloaded and rivets are delivered to a rivet machine or the like with pressurized air. The rivet cartridges are filled off line by a rivet pump that receives rivets from a vibrating bowl feeder, and the fasteners are delivered through a common passageway to a fastener installation tool. However, the fastener delivery system of Rink et al. requires a separate fastener escapement mechanism to remove and deliver the fasteners. Additionally, the fastener delivery system of Rink is mounted to a fixed base plate and is therefore not mobile or portable.
Unfortunately, automated fastener delivery equipment of the known art is substantially large in size and must be permanently installed into the flooring and existing structure of a manufacturing facility. Typically, a large assembly jig is mounted to a floor and consumes a substantial volume within a manufacturing facility. Furthermore, the parts or components that are being assembled must be positioned with tooling located within a working envelope of the automated fastener delivery equipment, which may also consume a substantial volume. Accordingly, the automated fastener delivery equipment of the known art is not portable and cannot be moved from work station to work station in order to deliver fasteners to a variety of assemblies and subassemblies.
In the production assembly of aircraft, the majority of substructure such as fuselage frames and longerons, along with wing spars and ribs, are joined to the skin of the aircraft with thousands of fasteners. Further, a plurality of fastener types, along with variations in diameters and grip lengths, are typically used in an aircraft assembly or subassembly. (Generally, a fastener grip length refers to the cumulative thickness of the parts that the fastener holds together). Moreover, a majority of the substructure parts are manually assembled and are not assembled using automated fastening equipment.
During manual assembly operations, an operator must first determine the appropriate fastener type and diameter from a blueprint or other manufacturing work instruction delivery system. Due to manufacturing variations in individual part fabrication and assembly positioning variations, the proper grip length of the fastener is often determined by manually measuring hole depths. Once the proper fastener configuration is determined, the fastener stock must then be located and selected from fastener bins, which are typically stored at a common location near the work station. A limited number of fasteners are then moved by hand from the fastener bins to the work station and are generally staged within the reach of an operator. If permitted by the work environment, several fasteners are stored in a pouch that is secured around the waist of an operator. Accordingly, the operator sorts through the fasteners to select the proper configuration and inserts the fastener directly into a hole through the parts or inserts the fastener into an installation tool that installs the fastener through the parts.
As a result, a significant amount of time is spent by an operator determining the proper fastener configuration, locating the fastener within a storage bin, and transporting the fastener to the work station for installation. Thus making manual fastener installation very time consuming. Therefore, it is desirable to have a fastener system which portable and automated.
One portable device has been developed by the applicant in U.S. Patent Application titled xe2x80x9cPortable Automatic Fastener Delivery System,xe2x80x9d Ser. No. 09/931,501 filed Aug. 16, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The portable device delivers a plurality of different fastener types and sizes on request to an operator, and the operator then manually orients the fastener properly and inserts the fastener into a workpiece for subsequent installation.
Accordingly, a need remains in the art for a device that catches fasteners from an automatic fastener delivery system and that properly orients the fasteners for installation into a workpiece. A further need exists for such a device that inserts the fasteners into the workpiece for subsequent installation.
In one preferred form, the present invention provides a fastener catching and installation tool that comprises a frame defining a proximal end and a distal end. A guide tube is disposed along the frame, and a pivot frame is disposed at the distal end of the frame, wherein a slide device is coupled to the pivot frame and catching fingers are disposed within the pivot frame. Further, a slide device activation member is disposed on the frame and is coupled to the slide device. A translating device is disposed along the frame, and a translating device activation member is disposed on the frame and is coupled to the translating device. In operation, a fastener is delivered through the guide tube and into the catching fingers. The slide device activation member activates the slide device to slide the pivot frame and the catching fingers proximate a workpiece, and the translating device activation member activates the translating device to insert the fastener into the workpiece.
Additionally, the fastener catching and installation tool further comprises a handle disposed at the proximal end of the frame. A first trigger button is disposed on the handle to operate the slide device activation member, and a second trigger button is disposed on the handle to operate the translating device activation member. Preferably, an air supply is provided to the fastener catching and installation tool such that the slide device and the translating device are pneumatically operated by the air supply. Further, the slide device and the translating device are preferably air cylinders and the slide device activation member and the translating device activation member are preferably air control valves. Accordingly, the first trigger button opens one of the air control valves to activate the slide device, which positions the fastener proximate a workpiece, and the second trigger button opens the other air control valve to activate the translating device to insert the fastener into the workpiece.
In another form, a fastener catching device is provided that comprises a first catching finger, a second catching finger disposed adjacent the first catching finger, and at least one retaining member that maintains positions of the first catching finger and the second catching finger relative to each other. The catching fingers are pivotably mounted to the pivot frame and define a tapered bore and opposed slots to properly position and catch a plurality of fastener sizes.
In yet another form, a method of positioning and inserting a fastener into a workpiece is provided that comprises the steps of delivering a fastener through a guide tube and into catching fingers, activating a slide device to slide the catching fingers proximate a workpiece, and activating a translating device to insert the fastener into the workpiece. Additionally, a method of catching the fastener is provided that comprises the steps of delivering a fastener into a tapered bore of catching fingers, guiding the fastener through the catching fingers with the tapered bore, and catching the fastener against distal internal shoulders of the catching fingers.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.